


This Never Happened

by PuellaMidori



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Christmas, F/F, First Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 12:23:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13123659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PuellaMidori/pseuds/PuellaMidori
Summary: After Cordelia takes pity on Buffy's tragic attempts at gift wrapping she drives them back to Buffy's house to give her some tips, and receives an unexpected thank you present in return.





	This Never Happened

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fiveainley_ohmy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiveainley_ohmy/gifts).



> A final gift for the Femslash Secret Santa. See, told you I'd try to crank out one more! I hope it was worth doing.

Buffy sat alone in the library after school, facing down her toughest demon yet: Christmas wrapping. There’s tape on her hands, ribbons in her hair and frustration on her face. As she reached across the table to grab a tag to stick onto it she hears the scissors clatter onto the floor. Cursing quietly, she ducked under the table to retrieve them just as the library doors opened.

“What,” Cordelia exclaimed, gesturing at the misshapen, candy cane-striped lump on the library table, “is that? Is Buffy going to kill it? Is it going to kill us?”

“That,” Buffy sighed as crawled back out from under the table, “is supposed to be my mother’s Christmas present. Am I not doing this right?”

“Buffy, honestly. Did you even try? What did you do to it?” Cordelia shook her head as she sat across from Buffy and started tearing off the wrapping paper. “Who taught you how to do this?”

“I usually just got it done at the mall, actually. I don’t exactly have the extra cash for that this year. Is it really that bad? I thought I was finally making some progress.”

“Oh, Buffy, please, it is beyond that bad. You wrapped a perfume bottle inside of a scarf, and thought you could just cover that with paper? No. Don’t you have any boxes or something?”

“I need a box? There might be some at home I can use. Wait! So you actually know how to wrap presents? You don’t just make someone else do it for you?”

“Yes, actually.” Cordelia glared at Buffy. She started clearing Buffy’s wrapping mess off the table, tossing things into both her and Buffy’s bag. “I find it calming, okay? Come on, we’re taking this mess to your house. I’ll drive.”

“I’m supposed to be waiting for Giles,” Buffy protested weakly, but Cordelia was already grabbing her by the hand and pulling her outside, telling her this was obviously more important.

The drive from the school back to Buffy’s house took place in silence. Buffy was feeling somewhat nervous and uncomfortable with the arrangement, wondering why Cordelia apparently wanted to help her with this. What would she have to do for her in return? How often was Cordelia nice just to be nice? Maybe the holidays were making people weird. She took the opportunity to remove the tape from her hands at least, hoping Cordelia wouldn’t notice her leaving the tape droppings on the floor of her car.

Cordelia pulled into the empty driveway and Buffy grabbed her hastily-filled bag, digging for her house key. “Mom shouldn’t be home for hours, if you want to come in. Which, I’m guessing you do, based on the driving me here. I just need to find my key, I think something must have buried it.” Buffy shot a look at Cordelia as she said that last part. “Got it!” She moved to unlock the door, opening it for Cordelia and closing it behind them again. Had Cordelia ever been in Buffy’s house before? She wasn’t sure. There was no way they’d ever been alone here together though. Why was that making Buffy so nervous? She’d been alone with friends in her own home before. Wasn’t Cordelia a friend? Maybe more like the friends she’d had before moving to Sunnydale, but still a friend. No, that wasn’t quite right. Even in L.A. there’d never been a girl quite like Cordelia. There was something special about her, something Buffy couldn’t quite put her finger on. All she knew was that she definitely wanted to stay on her good side, wanted to be able to call Cordelia a friend.

The two girls ended up setting up on the floor in the hallway upstairs. It was the largest area of empty space. Buffy grabbed some boxes out of Joyce’s studio, along with a second roll of wrapping paper she saw leaning against the doorframe, tossing it all onto the floor between her and Cordelia. “Well, this is it. The last of my wrapping supplies. Is this adequate for you?” Buffy asked, not quite sure whether the question was genuine or sarcastic.

“It’ll do. Here, hand me that scarf you were killing earlier. Pad out the bottom of the box with it, like this.” Cordelia took the scarf, forming a protective nest for the perfume bottle out of it. She added the perfume bottle in, and then folded down the flaps of the box, covering it all. “Hold these in place while I tape it.”

“Thanks. Um, why exactly are you helping me with this though?”

“It’s Christmas time! Isn’t it all about helping out the less fortunate? Okay, now unroll that paper a little, I’ll put the box on top.” Cordelia place the now-sealed box onto the paper Buffy had unrolled and took the rest of the roll from her, folding it over the box. “Cut where I’m holding.” 

“No, really Cordelia. Why are you helping me?” Buffy asked as she followed Cordelia’s directions. “What do you get out of this? It’s not like you.” Buffy was sure there had to be some ulterior motive here, but if there was Cordelia wasn’t admitting to it.

“Do you want me to leave?” A pause, in which Buffy offered no reply. “Didn’t think so. Now hold the paper here so I can tape again.” They managed to get most of the edges and corners done this way, and Buffy was avoiding becoming covered in tape again. That is, until Cordelia came in with the last piece of tape. Her hands brushed against Buffy’s as she was trying to attach it to the paper, and in her hurry to pull her hands back the tape attached itself to Buffy instead. “Shit, sorry,” Cordelia muttered as she got a new piece of tape, placing it correctly this time. 

“I thought your presence here was supposed to prevent the taping of body parts,” Buffy quipped as she peeled the rogue tape off and attached it to the wall behind her. She then pushed the spool of ribbon she’d fought with in the library towards Cordelia. “Now, I’ve heard rumours that this stuff can be used in places other than your hair, but clearly mine never got that memo.”

Cordelia didn’t reply, silently accepting the ribbon and putting it to good use while Buffy started filling another box. The wrapping proceeded smoothly, but an awkward silence fell over them with neither party making many comments but both of them finding a rhythm after doing the first box. Buffy hadn’t brought all her Christmas presents to school with her that morning, so the work was broken up a couple times with trips into her room, but after a far shorter time than Buffy could have ever guessed Cordelia had helped her get most of her presents appropriately wrapped, some in boxes and some as they were. As they finished their last piece   
Buffy breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks for the help. I’ll take staking vamps over this any time.”

“And I’ll take the wrapping.” Cordelia replied.

“Right. I guess that’s why we made such a good team today. Except that you did most of the work, and I didn’t have anything to slay. Anyway. I’m sure Mom has some kind of peppermint something in the kitchen if you wanted a quick bite to eat. You know, as thanks. I’ll be right behind you, I just have one more thing to wrap but I, uh, I just have a bag for this one so I think I can handle it.” Buffy would be sad to see Cordelia leave after heading downstairs, actually having enjoyed their afternoon together despite the awkward atmosphere and the frustration of the task. Something about Cordelia’s presence canceled it all out.

“Peppermint something, huh? Sounds awesome,” Cordelia stated sarcastically. “But, since you insisted. You better be down soon though, I didn’t come here to sit in your kitchen alone.” She turned away and started heading down the stairs, while Buffy returned to her bedroom to prepare her last gift for delivery. The thing that had eaten up most of her present budget. The necklace she had bought for Cordelia, probably not up to her standards but definitely not cheap either. Just as she was holding it out in front of her, admiring it, wondering if Cordelia would like it, wondering if she should even give it to her or if she should just return it, the other girl’s head popped into the doorway.

“Um, where’s your bathroom?” she asked, then noticed the necklace Buffy was holding. “Buffy that’s gorgeous, who’s it for? I love it! Where did you buy it? Wait, how did you even afford that?”

Buffy nearly jumped out of her skin, so lost in thought she hadn’t even noticed Cordelia coming back down the hall. ‘Oh no,’ she thought, ‘she wasn’t supposed to see this. What do I do?’ Out loud she managed, “The bathroom’s down the hall past the stairs. I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

Cordelia managed to take the hint and leave the bedroom again, not quite sure what she had done wrong. After their afternoon together she hoped Buffy wasn’t upset with her. She really had just been trying to help out somebody she cared about. She wasn’t trying to step on Buffy’s toes or anything. Maybe the all-powerful Slayer was embarrassed about actually needing help with something? Cordelia shrugged it off, for now. 

Blushing furiously, plans out the window, Buffy hastily shoved the necklace into the bag she had for it and headed downstairs, not even bothering with tissue paper or ribbons or really anything to make it look remotely presentable. She’d been found out, she may as well hand over the present now. At least she was sure that Cordelia would like it. If her mom ever found out she’d blown most of her Christmas money on this one present she’d freak. It was a good thing she wasn’t home yet. It was a heart with jewels along the outline, not really representing anything in particular she told herself, just something that looked expensive (it was), cute, and like it wouldn’t be out of place with Cordelia’s wardrobe. If there was anything Buffy was still confident in, it was her ability to match accessories to a wardrobe. She took a breath to calm her nerves (and why exactly was she getting nervous again?) and headed downstairs, little bag in hand. 

Cordelia had found the “peppermint somethings”, and was already sampling when Buffy entered the kitchen. She walked straight towards her, handing her the bag. “Here,” she said simply, looking away from Cordelia at the food on the counter. Cordelia opened the bag and she added, “since you’ve already seen it anyway I thought you may as well have it now.”

“Buffy this- this must have cost at least twice what any of your other presents cost. I saw them all, and I would know. Are you sure?”

“I wanted to make sure it was up to your standards. It was the highest I could go without sneaking out with Mom’s credit card. You do like it though, right? I know you’re used to, well, more…” Buffy trailed off, unable to go on with the conversation.

Cordelia examined the heart, then decided to take a chance and leaned in to give Buffy a kiss, hoping to show that she really did love it. Buffy didn’t flinch or pull away, or worse, and she made her thoughts known verbally too. “Buffy, it’s beautiful. And, okay, you’re right, maybe a bit below my normal price range, but I’m flattered that you spent this much on me when I can see how hard it was for you. This can’t be easy for you either, I’m sure you gave up a lot moving here, and not just in a Slayer way. And I really admire you for it. More than admire. You’re a badass, and so not a freak like I thought you were. Well, maybe a little bit freak. But mostly badass, and still totally hot while doing it. Thank you, for the necklace.”

Buffy didn’t know what to say after all that, so she just took a breath, and kissed Cordelia back. Then there was silence between them, and finally Buffy managed to thank her. “I appreciate you saying that. And you’re right, I may be a freak but at least I’m still a hot, badass freak. You should go soon though, otherwise Mom’ll come home and try to make you stay for dinner.”

“Maybe I should stay. I drove all the way here, the least you could offer me is a meal in return. I went out of my way for you!” She laughed, then got a more serious look on her face. “I think I left something upstairs, anyway. Come help me look.”

They returned upstairs, leaving the festive treats forgotten on the counter. They walked past the pile of presents in the hallway together, past Cordelia’s bag sitting on the floor, into Buffy’s room. Cordelia tested the waters again, kissing Buffy once and pulling back again. Buffy kissed her right back.

“This never happened,” Cordelia says firmly at one point, between kisses.

“Oh no, never,” Buffy replied. “Nobody’ll hear it from me, that’s for sure.”

After minutes of kissing they realized they don't have to just stand there in the doorway and Cordelia pulled Buffy towards the bed, sitting on the edge and bringing Buffy back into the kiss. They made out in Buffy's bed for most of the evening, Buffy mostly sitting on Cordelia's lap, or on top of her lying form, only coming back up for air when Buffy finally heard Joyce's car driving in out front. She left Cordelia to arrange herself and went downstairs to greet her mother and let her know she had had a "friend" over this afternoon who was willing to stay for dinner.


End file.
